Undercover agents rooted out a handful of people in San Bernardino County this week suspected of scamming convenience-store customers out of lottery winnings, authorities said.

Over the past few months, California Lottery agents took winning scratchers and turned them in to convenience stores throughout the county.

Two store owners and two clerks claimed the scratchers were not winners and later tried to cash the tickets themselves, authorities said.

Those arrested Wednesday on suspicion of grand theft were:

Wasel Moussa, owner of Jay's Market at 1855 N. Baker St. in Ontario; Sukhbir Singh, clerk at Redlands Gas and Food Market at 1195 W. Redlands Blvd.; Aztar Singh Gore, owner of the 7-Eleven at 12041 Bryant St. in Yucaipa; and Salem Eid Massoud, clerk at Palm Liquor at 3605 E. Highland Ave. in Highland.

"We're convinced overall this is a group of bad apples but that our group of 20,000 retailers are honest, law-abiding citizens," said California Lottery spokesman Al Lundee.

A fifth suspect, Mary Patricia Lovingfoss, turned herself in Friday after learning she was suspected of working with Singh to cash a winning scratcher.

The investigation also took place in San Diego and Los Angeles counties.

"The Lottery will not tolerate those who deceive our players and attack the integrity of Lottery games," said California Lottery Director Joan Borucki.